Designation will open up opps for federal funding

By Sarah Nigbor

At the June 28 Pierce County Board meeting, the board voted 16-1 to pass a resolution on first reading supporting the creation of boundaries for the Northern Grain Belt Port Statistical Area. According to Chris Smith of Northern Grain Belt Ports, a port statistical area is a geographical region on the coast or on a segment of waterway (in this case, the Mississippi River) with a concentration of port infrastructure and/or barge terminals. Linear port statistical areas, such as the upper Mississippi, have been incorporated in other parts of the country. The main point of creating a PSA is to accurately report and capture transportation data; they do no have taxing or bonding authority. The Northern Grain Belt PSA is being proposed, Silver said, because the only Principal U.S. Inland Port on the Upper Mississippi north of Lock & Dam No. 10 is the St. Paul Port Authority. This means that not all tonnage hauled on the river is accurately reported in the 11-county Minnesota and Wisconsin Upper Mississippi area or attributed to a federally recognized port. This in turn under-represents the

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economic value of waterborne commerce to the nation and the world generated in this area, misrepresenting the national supply chain. It also reduces the number of opportunities for direct and indirect investment into the region’s multi-modal transportation infrastructure and natural infrastructure.

“This will increase opportunities for federal funding, allows for greater marketing of the region, showing the economic development and availability of multi-modal transportation,” Smith said. “If it’s not attributed to the port, it’s attributed to the state or waterways and the 11-county region has state port terminals that are not being attributed the tonnage. The state consolidates the tonnage through their reporting mechanism, but we’re hoping to gain recognition at the federal level.”

Once the Northern Grain Belt PSA is established, it’s anticipated to be a top 100 inland port, based on tonnage handled, Silver said. He list- ed the following benefits as being designated a PSA: Statistically represent the region as a federally recognized multi-modal port Inform regional multi-modal transportation planning efforts. Support regional marketing and economic development efforts.

Raise the area’s profile to improve regional, national and global visibility and competitiveness.

Create a regional multi-modal transportation infrastructure identity.

Support sustainability planning efforts. Serve the bi-state area and all communities (disadvantaged and economically distressed) as an economic development tool within the region.

The designation doesn’t preclude or prevent other county economic, development or transportation arrangements and agreements.

PSAs have been established in Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio, Silver said.

Even though no financial support or commitment is required by the counties who show support by passing the resolution, Supervisor Sheila Lorentz voted against the resolution because she didn’t believe it directly benefited Pierce County.

“How would Pierce County benefit from this?” she asked.

Supervisor Mike Kahlow said he understood it as there is no “financial hook” to the county and is a chance to bring more investment to the region.

“Again, it’s our belief with the federal recognition of this area it opens up, it helps to create from a marketing perspective a demonstration of the economic value of the tonnage that passes through your area,” Silver said.

Agriculture in general would benefit significantly, Supervisor Mel Pittman said.

“There’s been talk of upgrading the locks and dams for more than 20 years,” he said. “We need to at least keep them operable. If we have an efficient system of the river, that is going to help all those who get product ou the river.”

Silver said the designation will increase the region’s funding capability as it relates to work on the ports and on the river itself. It would open up opportunities not previously available at the federal level for grants.

Ports on the long, narrow segments of the maritime highway system serviced by locks and dams are extended, linear, multi-modal transportation features that are about 200 miles long, Silver said. They have terminals along the waterway close to where grain is grown and agricultural products are produced. The waterway terminals are served by an interconnected network of roads and railways; they compliment nearby industrial and commercial users of the region’s multi-modal transportation system. The Northern Grain Belt PSA has 34 terminals in the 11-county region, which includes Pierce County.

“It doesn’t seem that there are any promises of it helping Pierce County in any way,” Lorentz argued. “Mel, I’m not sure what you’re referring to in regards to the lock and dams. Dad owned two tug boats and I grew up understanding some of that business. My dad never had anything good to say about the St. Paul Port Authority. This is more about more bureaucracy, taking up money, recording statistics, just more federal control, and I don’t see how that benefits us as a county.”

Bob Gollnik from the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission said all counties adjacent to the river are included in the PSA for regional benefit.

“While it’s true there might not be direct benefit to the actual county, many other people have alluded to other benefits,” he explained. The board voted 16-1 to support the resolution, with Lorentz voting no.

To be considered for a PSA designation, an application will be submitted to the U.S. Waterborne Commerce Statistical Center by a non-federal sponsor, the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission. The MRRPC will coordinate support of counties and ports within the proposed PSA boundaries.

The proposed Northern Grainbelt Port Statistical Area is comprised of 11 counties along the Upper Mississippi in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Map courtesy of Chris Smith